Good Teaching Practices for English language Learners

1. Support ELL students by providing opportunities to learn Canadian cultural beliefs and practices.
2. Provide a safe and welcoming environment as it is essential to their success.
3. Allow them to experience success; it will increase students' confidence and willingness to participate.
4. Promote continuation of home language as it allows access to existing expertise and promotes their ideas to flow.
5. Allow partner work and pair them up with fluent English speakers.
6. Use gestures (thumbs up, thumbs down) and visuals.
7. Point to information or answers.
8. Perform hands-on tasks (e.g., use manipulatives to demonstrate)
9. Act out vocabulary, concepts or events (try, it is fun!)
10. Produce drawings, models, graphs,and charts.
11. Manipulate visual information (place labels around the room)
12. Allow choice when presenting assignments. (D.I)
13. Stand close to students who need extra help.
14. Modify the pace of instruction.
15. Give clear, simple instructions.
16. Speak at a slower pace, enunciate words.
17. Write instructions, key ideas, and vocabulary on the board.
18. Repeat and paraphrase concepts that are important or difficult.
19. Complete the first example with students.
20. Use different colored markers to break up or categorize information.
21. Break information and instructions into small steps.
22. Provide background information.
23. Use idioms carefully and explain them in simple terms.
24. Check for understanding regularly.
25. Scaffold/provide simple sentence starters.
26. Ask questions frequently and provide wait time.
27. Provide frequent feedback.


Supports

  • Provide Notes
  • Provide study notes with visuals
  • Provide extra practice
  • Provide extra tutoring
  • Assign a peer tutor
  • Assign a peer reader
  • Seating arrangements that faciliate peer support
  • Provide extra time
  • Guided reading in small groups


Motivation and the Enthusiastic Teacher

The following teacher characteristics communicate enthusiasm to students:

  • Vocal Delivery
  • Word Choice
  • Humor
  • Eye Movement
  • Facial Expressions
  • Gestures
  • Movement
  • Energy Level
  • Acceptance
  • Variety and Novelty





Summary of the Motivation Variables


* Success
Not boring, not too difficult

* Knowledge of Results
Feedback

* Accountability
Visibility, framing the question

* Meaningful to the Student
Linking to their experience